Current status of metabolic and bariatric surgery in Beijing: results of an initial survey

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the current status of metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) in Beijing's hospitals and to provide evidence to promote homogenization of medical development, standardizing clinical behavior, and continuously improving medical quality. Methods: This survey was conducted in September 2022 to investigate 27 hospitals in Beijing that had conducted MBS through a questionnaire survey. The questionnaire includes basic information from medical institutions, departmental information and MBS implementation, and statistical description of the results was performed. Results: At present, 27 hospitals in Beijing had carried out MBS and participated in quality control, among which 4 hospitals had established independent departments for MBS. The total number of beds for MBS was 234, and the number of doctors engaged in the specialty of MBS was 126. Among the 27 hospitals, 22 hospitals had weight-reduction and metabolic specialty clinics or multidisciplinary teams. Eleven hospitals had established 14 positions of case manager. In 2021, 1 hospital had ≥500 surgical cases, 3 hospitals had 200 to <500, 2 hospitals had 100 to <200, 3 hospitals had 50 to <100, 6 hospitals had 20 to <50, and 12 hospitals had less than 20. Twenty-six hospitals performed sleeve gastrectomy, 16 hospitals performed Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, 3 hospitals performed one anastomosis gastric bypass, 1 hospital performed biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch, 1 hospital performed single anastomosis duodeno-ileal bypass with sleeve gastrectomy. Six hospitals performed revisional surgery after MBS and 4 hospitals performed robotic-assisted MBS. Additionally, 15 hospitals had joined the Greater China Metabolic and Bariatric Database. Conclusions: MBS in Beijing is in the process of development. It is still necessary to clarify the position and role of surgery in the treatment of obesity and metabolic diseases, determine the concept and goal of surgical treatment of related diseases, and establish the corresponding surgical standards.